Teddy & Jenna
by Feline19
Summary: Sometimes, you get a chance at love that, not only were you not expecting, but it completely blows you away. Follow Teddy in this journey on his final year of Hogwarts. Read and Review (Rated M just to be safe)
1. Chapter 1

**You might remember this story: It's currently in the process of being re-vamped, simply because I wanted this project to be better than it used to be. I was thankful of the positivity it received, but I felt it could be so much better.**

 **Enjoy x**

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London was chilly that September 1st. Teddy stood at the entrance of the King's Cross station, hand resting nonchalantly on the handle of his trunk, as people bustled about around him.

The teenager didn't stand out from the crowd in any way. With his blue hair flying in every direction possible, black beat-up leather jacket and ripped skinny jeans, he was just another young man in a crowd of hipsters, businesspeople and punks going about their day. No one could possibly tell there was a wand hidden in the inside pocket of his jacket, or that the trunk with the thousand and one stickers all over its surface contained spellbooks, potions ingredients, like bat wings and unicorn hair, and long black robes that were still the standard uniform for students attending a school called Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. People just assumed the black and yellow patch with a badger stitched on the front of his black backpack was just another obscure band.

The young man looked a bit melancholy as he stood there alone.

Twenty to eleven. The train would depart soon, but he stood there for another moment. He'd never felt more apprehensive about returning to Hogwarts.

For the Wizarding World, Edward 'Teddy' Remus Lupin was the son of Nymphadora Tonks, ex Auror and Metamorphmagus, and Remus Lupin, Werewolf and ex Hogwarts Professor of the Defence Against the Dark Arts. Both were members of the Order of the Phoenix and are, to this day, considered two of the greatest war heroes the Wizarding World has ever seen.

He never got the chance to meet either one of them. They died tragically during the Final Battle of Hogwarts in the Second Wizarding War on May 2nd, 1998. The same year he was born.

He looked down by his side, almost expecting to see her there. But she wasn't. His grandmother's body was buried in the same cemetery as his parents, between her daughter and her son-in-law. She had slipped away quietly in her sleep last June. Old age, the Healers who had seen to her said. She wasn't here to see her grandson off to his final year in Hogwarts. She wouldn't be there to see him graduate.

He had refused Harry's offer to go with them. And Ron's. And Bill's. And everyone's. He had turned away from Victoire's hurt and betrayed expression when he told her father that he preferred to be on his own and he wouldn't be able to join them for their trip to Paris that summer, either. Not that he hadn't expected her to be a little bit disappointed, but he wasn't expecting the silent treatment or the complete lack of sympathy that followed. There was no love lost between Andromeda Tonks and Victoire Weasley, but he at least expected her to be understanding of the pain he was in.

He was now completely alone in the world.

Steeling himself, he began to haul his trunk easily. He casually walked through the wall between the platforms 9 and 10. The platform was already filling with people and the noise was growing in decibel more and more every second. Couples apparated with their children and their baggage at every corner. The time had gone ten to eleven. He lifted his things easily onto the train. He tried to squeeze down the painful feeling of loneliness that washed over him as he watched families from the windows.

He drew the drapes once he got settled in a compartment at the front of the train and shrugged off his jacket, intent on changing into his robes before the prefects got here. He was just about to pull his shirt over his head when he heard a subtle cough just behind him. He turned, startled.

There was a girl standing there.

His first thought was _her hair._ They were a vivid orange, almost the same shade of ginger the Weasley clan sported. But hers resembled flames, dancing on her head. It was _short_. Boyishly short. For a second he thought of Victoire's long silky strands that fell all the way down to the small of her back, silvery gold and beautiful. Feminine.

This girl, however, was a far cry from the soft femininity of Victoire. Her face was oval shaped, with a sharp jawline and defined cheekbones. There was a faint dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose and the top of her cheeks that had flushed a lovely shade of pink. Her hazel eyes were watching him. She had them lined boldly with black and her lashes were coated with mascara. Her jeans were a dark green and she wore a simple shirt underneath a red leather jacket, brand new and smooth. He looked at her feet, surprised to see a pair of dark dragon hide boots with golden buckles at the ankles.

"Can I help you?"

"I just thought you'd like a bit of a warning that you weren't alone before you started to strip", her lips curled in a teasing smile. "But, by all means, go ahead".

She plopped herself down in one of the seats, dumping a black backpack next to her.

"Do you mind?"

"Don't worry, pretty boy, I'm not looking at you", she said, barely looking up at him from where she had pulled the drape back to look out at the platform. "Nothing interesting anyway".

Irritated, and a little bit offended, he decided to put off dressing for later.

His companion was eerily quiet. When she turned her head, he got a view of her right profile. Her nose curved slightly downward, but not unappealingly. In general, she was a very pretty girl. He couldn't decipher her house; there were no indicators on her clothes. She must've been half-blood or muggleborn. Pure-blood wizards and witches still shunned muggle items and clothing, even though they had become more common after the War.

"You are staring, pretty boy", she commented lightly. "Eye-contact for more than five seconds indicates either a desire to murder or shag the other person, so which is it?"

 _Blushing_. The burn on his cheeks couldn't be anything else. A giggle trickled out of her painted cherry lips. She was laughing at his embarrassment.

"I'm sorry", she said with a softer smile, turning to face him. "Excuse my lack of brain-to-mouth filter. I'm Jenna Blake. Seventh year, Hufflepuff. I'm the Head Girl".

"I'm -".

"The infamous Teddy Lupin, prefect, fellow Hufflepuff, professor Longbottom's star student in Herbology, Captain and Chaser of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team, now Head Boy", her smile widened just slightly. "I know".

"You seem to have an advantage over me, then", Teddy found himself frowning.

 _Hufflepuff_? He had never seen her. Of that, he was sure.

"You seem confused", she remarked, crossing her legs at the ankles. "You might remember a chubbier, blonder version of me. With round glasses, probably. I just got my parents to let the Healers try those spells on my vision. It worked. Couldn't be happier, actually".

Chubbier. Blond. Round glasses. He raked his mind to remember if he had seen a girl. Tried to remember the name…

"The librarian intern?"

"The one and only. Madame Pince is not going to be around for long. I figured I could pick up after she retires".

"You don't look-"

"The librarian type?" she nodded. "Not anymore"

He leaned back against his seat and studied her more carefully. She didn't seem to be bothered by the scrutiny. There was a line of four silver studs on each ear. Light caught on the shiny surfaces. A metallic spike hung from each ear at the lobe. There was a lacy black thing wrapped around her throat with a small sun pendant hanging in the hollow of her neck, drawing attention to her defined collarbones. The blouse she was tight at the chest, but loose around her lower abdomen. There were patches sewn on her jeans, probably muggle bands, and a white A in a white circle on black background on her upper thigh.

"You look… different", he finally said.

"Yeah, well, had to go through a few changes. I finally got the guts to give myself the changes I wanted", she shrugged nonchalantly. "Mama will tell you it's puberty 2.0 making me act out".

"Fuck that".

Her eyebrows arched and she grinned. Perfectly straight white teeth.

"Well, hello", she giggled. "It's been a while since I've heard that word uttered in Hogwarts. Tsk, tsk, Mr. Head Boy. And I thought you were some sort of role-model".

"Fuck _that_. Just because I'm Head Boy that doesn't mean I don't cuss. Everybody does".

Jenna laughed with her entire body and face. She threw her head back and let out a boisterous, loud laugh, shoulders shaking. Any initial discomfort he felt in her presence evaporated. Cleared. There was something about her care-free, world-may-care attitude that put him at ease. After that, banter came easily. They were interrupted only by the Prefects arriving. After instructing them on their rounds and sending the first pair off to go around the train, he moved to the seat next to her.

She had a wry, sarcastic sense of humour that matched well with his temperament. She talked about music, books, something muggle that she called TV shows, food. Everything that came to mind, she talked about. Hours went by. Until, eventually, they had to stop and get ready for their arrival at the Hogsmeade train station.

"Oh, shit, is that the time?", Jenna exclaimed. "I really, _really_ need to put on my robes. We'll be arriving shortly".

She got up, winking and picked up her backpack.

"I'll see you after dinner. McGonagall set up that meeting thingy", she reminded him on her way to the door.

"Or maybe you'll see me _at dinner_. Since, you know, we sit at the same table for every meal".

"Shut up, Lupin".

In a whirl of fiery hair and red leather, she left him all alone in the compartment. While in the process of removing his shirt, he found himself smiling. And thinking that he wouldn't have minded if she were there to watch him undress that time.

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 **Reviews are very much welcome and if you enjoyed this first chapter, stay tuned for the next one.**


	2. Chapter 2

The entire Great Hall looked on in surprise as the Hufflepuff table engaged in what seemed to be an all-out dessert fight during dinner – and on their first night back, nonetheless!

"Honestly, guys!" Professor Longbottom's voice suddenly boomed over them, magically enhanced. "I expected this year's Head Boy and Girl to know better than this".

He was barely containing a smile and the entire House knew it. Instead of taking the reprimand to heart, they laughed. And Professor Longbottom laughed along. Chatter broke out again, calmer than before, surely. Cleaning spells began to be applied on robes and hair and faces that were caught in the line of fire.

Jenna started it, really. She turned to him with that little mischievous smirk on her lips and _smeared chocolate sauce across his cheek_. It could've been a dare from her friend; the other girl that was sitting next to her, laughing at the astonished look on his face. He couldn't help himself. He picked up a blob of whipped cream and dropped it on her nose. And before you knew it, everyone had joined in.

It _was_ rather unlikely for their House to be this rowdy. Usually they left it to the Gryffindors to cause trouble. But _she started it_.

There was a bit of chocolate pudding right above Jenna's left eyebrow, smeared in a sloppy line right down to her temple. A bit of whipped cream still on her nose. And maybe jam on her cheek. He had the ridiculous urge to just lean over and lick it off her.

If he thought Jenna was pretty in muggle clothing, _pretty_ didn't even begin to describe her in robes. The fabric just fell over her body smoothly, slightly cut at the waist to accentuate the soft curve of it and flaring the tiniest bit at the hips. The Head Girl pin was placed right above her heart, next to the Hufflepuff patch stitched on. Her flame-colored hair contrasted with the black heavily, drawing even more attention to her. She was like a light beacon in the middle of the Hall. She was the first thing he saw when he walked in.

"Here, let me get that for you", he said, grabbing a napkin.

Her eyes stared back at him intensely.

"You've got, um", she started. "You've got… a little bit, there", she motioned to his lips.

He licked at the edge of them and her eyes followed the movement. A soft pink flush spread across her skin. _So pretty_.

"We should probably get cleaned up before the meeting with McGonagall", she said, lowering her head so he couldn't see most of her face. "I'll see you then".

He watched her rush off, probably heading for the toilets. He was half-tempted to get up and follow her for a minute. Maybe get her in one of the stone alcoves and kiss her senseless. Push her up against the wall and figure out if her lips tasted as sweet as they looked.

"That is one fiery redhead you've gotten yourself involved with", Robbie commented on his other side. "I thought you were going out with the Weasley girl, though".

Victoire. How could he have forgotten about her already? His eyes skimmed the Gryffindor table until they found her silvery gold head. She was sitting with her back to him, surrounded by a group of girls. Her back was rigid and he could almost feel the annoyance radiating off her.

"We sort of got in a row this summer", Teddy said, turning back to his friend. "She's a bit pissed with me about not going to Paris with her and her family".

Had she seen him with Jenna?

"You were grieving, for fuck's sake, mate", Robbie scrunched up his face in disgust. "What did the little brat want you to do? Go and fucking _pretend_ to have a blast when your nan just died? Bitch".

"Hey. Don't talk about her that way", he said automatically. "She's just a bit… upset".

"I'll say", the other boy snorted. "But if anyone should be even remotely upset, that's you. Going for another girl is probably the best thing you could do. You don't need that shit in your life, man".

Teddy had no response. Suddenly he was very aware of the eldest Weasley. She had turned her head and he got a clear view of her profile. Her lips were pursed slightly as she talked to the girl sitting next to her. Whatever mood she was in right now could not be pleasant. She kept tossing her hair over her shoulder, something she did only when she was severely annoyed with something. _Or someone_ , he thought with an eye-roll.

It was time he left, anyway. But it was just not going to be that easy. She saw him get up and before he could think of a way to escape this, she was already making her way towards him.

He wasn't stupid. He knew Victoire Weasley was a gorgeous girl. She was tall and slender, walking with practiced grace. Very feminine and charming. She had her mother's part-Veela good looks and she was very aware of it. Whatever little human imperfections she had, she tried to minimize. She was born with smaller teeth. When she was old enough to care, at around eight, she had her mother fix them for her. She owned a bunch of beauty products, both muggle and wizard, that she used daily and nightly. Her hair was always done to perfection, shampooed and conditioned thoroughly every night. Her nails were always perfectly done in a subtle French style. Her makeup was done to look natural, to bring out the best of her features.

She'd never let him see her in any state other than perfect. This summer was supposed to be the first time they'd spend a long amount of time in each other's presence, the first time they'd get to see each other enough for them to establish their relationship even more. Maybe it was the reason she had been so upset when he'd turned down the invitation.

"Who was she, then?" he suddenly snapped back to the present.

"I don't what you mean, Vic. You'll have to be a bit more specific", he shrugged his shoulders.

She huffed.

"Don't play dumb with me, Lupin. I mean the little tart you were sitting with today at the train and _just now_ at the table", she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm waiting for an explanation"

"I don't have to give you one", he said, starting to get irritated. "She's Head Girl. That's all you need to know".

"And what?" she demanded, taking one step closer to her. "I don't like this at all, you know. She looks like a tramp, walking around school with that _hair_. And her makeup's just tacky, just like her shoes. You having to live and work in such close proximity to someone like _her_ -".

"I'd really appreciate it if you could just stop being so fucking judgmental", he rolled his eyes. "You hardly know the girl".

"And _you_ do? Just how _intimately_ do you know her? You guys sure looked cozy at the table", she bit out. "Is that why this summer-".

"This fucking _summer_ , Victoire", he suddenly found himself snarling at her. "My _grandma_ , literally the _only family I had left_ , died. And you are so fucking selfish that all you care about is that I didn't come to fucking _Paris_ with you. I am alone in the world, now. I have no family. And you're being an insensitive bitch".

The entire Hall was watching by now. He knew he was creating a scene. He didn't care much. His vision had gone a bit red at the edges. It usually took a lot more to get him so enraged. And judging by the hardened look in her eyes, she hadn't even heard a single word he'd said and she was just looking for a good comeback. It just made him even angrier.

"You know what? Fuck off", he said and turned around.

"Don't you _dare_ walk away from me _Edward Remus Lupin_. We are not done here"

"Oh, we are, babe. Have been for a while now", he called over his shoulder.

Somewhere in the Great Hall he could hear Robbie laughing. But nothing could calm him down right now. He felt rage, hot and boiling, running through him. He stormed through the corridor, making a beeline for the boys' bathroom to splash a bit of water on his face.

"Teddy!"

He didn't turn around. When he was in such a mood, he was always liable to do things he'd regret. Or say stupid things. Unpredictable. Unstable. Volcanic. Volatile. There were a number of things he was when he got angry. He'd gotten to experience all of them _this fucking summer_.

He trashed his room the first night he had to spend alone in his house. There was no piece of furniture left standing, nothing left intact. It resembled a battlefield. He'd cut his knuckles open when he'd punched his mirror. Nothing could console him and nothing could make the whole feeling of unfairness go away. Instead of crying, he'd just taken out all the frustration and loneliness on everything that got in his path.

He turned into a stone alcove and punched his left hand against the wall with all his might. The skin on his knuckles cracked open and he leaned heavily against the wall, bloody and breathing heavily.

"Teddy!"

"For fuck's sake, _go the fuck away_ ", he growled, turning to face whoever was trying to talk to him.

Jenna. It was Jenna. Fuck. He wiped a hand over his face, trying to figure out a way to apologize. She was the last person he wanted to snap at. Guilt gnawed at him now and it felt more vicious than anger. He hung his head again, slumping this time.

"Do you really want me to go away or do you think you might need a friend right now?" she said gently.

"I'm sorry", he said, not daring to look up. "It's not you I'm pissed off at".

"I kinda figured it had more to do with that fight you just had with your girlfriend in the Great Hall", she moved a bit closer to her. "I gather things are not working out between the two of you right now".

"She's not my girlfriend", was all he could think to say.

Suddenly her face filled his line of vision. He realized he didn't have to lean _too_ far down to be level with her. Unlike Victoire who was tiny. Jenna had just tipped her head back. They stood face to face. Close. It felt more intimate than he could handle at the moment.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheek as she blinked. "It looked quite bad, even if you guys are not actually together".

"She's being a dick, basically", he said, lowering his voice. "Doesn't understand".

"Doesn't understand what exactly?"

She reached over and took his bloodied hand in hers. She pulled out her wand and started waving it over his knuckles. His skin itched as it stitched itself back together.

He took to studying her hands. Her fingers were ink-blotched at some spots. But they were long and they looked graceful. He didn't really know if you could say this about fingers, really, but hers were beautiful. Her palm was warm, but not sweaty. And the way her thumb rubbed circles at the back of his hand had a very strangely soothing effect on him.

"Loss", he managed to choke out finally. "Pain. Loneliness".

A little frown was marring her face. The torch light made her skin glow.

"She's selfish", he murmured. "She doesn't bother to think about how I feel. How I've been lately".

He was startled by the feeling of her fingers on his cheek. He leaned into the touch before he could catch himself, wrapping his hand around her wrist to keep her hand there.

"I'm sorry", she whispered.

"About what?" he shrugged, allowing her to extract her hands. "It's got nothing to do with you".

"Yeah, but we'll be living in the same quarters this year and we'll have to be around each other a lot and-", she sighed. "All I'm saying is that I hoped we could be… I don't know, friends".

She looked at him strangely just then. He realized he'd made a noise of some sort. He didn't really feel like replying to that. It would involve explaining that she still had the tiniest bits of jam at the corner of her mouth and he wanted to kiss it off.

"We could do that", he agreed quietly.

She smiled softly.

"Come on. We've got to get to the meeting with the headmistress and we're already late".

She was still holding his hand when they arrived at the gargoyle statue that guarded Professor McGonagall's office.


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, so maybe she wasn't doing it on purpose and there was just something wrong with him. But sharing space with Jenna was torture. Complete and utter torture.

It wasn't like she went out of her way to drive him mad. While she gave this impression of a confident person, there were fragments of the shy bookworm embedded in her personality. A sense of innocence that made it impossible for him to be even slightly suspicious that she was responsible for what was happening inside his head.

He almost lost in on the first day of classes. He walked into their little kitchenette early in the morning, just as Jenna was making herself a cup of coffee. He must've looked so stupid as he stood in the doorway, staring. Because Jenna fresh out of bed did things to him that he'd rather not discuss. With her hair mussed up, eyes hooded with sleep and a pair of ridiculously large sweatpants hanging low on her hips, she made him want to crowd her against the counter and find out of her lipstick-free lips were as soft as they looked.

She had a habit of curling up on the far end of the sofa to study, legs tucked underneath her, with books and notebooks scattered around her. She chewed on her quills while she read or absent-mindedly ran the feather along her jaw. It drew his attention to her neck – the long, pale column of her neck that he wanted to bite at and mark. And that stubborn strand of hair that always fell over her forehead made him want to reach out and tuck it behind her ear.

Most of the time, he felt like the biggest creep in the universe. It was so pathetic, how he was drawn in by the most mundane things she did. He'd walk into their common room and all he could smell was her rose perfume. It drove him further into madness.

And she wasn't even _aware._

"Don't forget we have our rounds tonight at nine".

He blinked up from the book he was trying – unsuccessfully – to read. He'd been staring at the same paragraph for a little over an hour now. Jenna's hazel eyes stared directly back in his, that ever-present little smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

What'd she say? Oh. Right. Friday night. Rounds.

"Yeah, alright", he smiled back at her, starting to gather his things from the library table in front of him.

"I'll see you at the portrait opening then, yeah?" she gathered up a stack of books from the next table.

"You're not coming to dinner?" he put his arm out, preventing her from moving away.

She looked up at him, looking startled by their proximity. Her eyes looked bigger tonight, somehow. Maybe it was the lack of black eyeliner and mascara. Her eyelashes had a natural dark brown color, curving upwards still. They were slightly blonder at the edges. If he leant in a little bit…

"I need to tidy up here. It might be a while. People tend to forget to take their books back on Fridays in their rush to get out of here", she rubbed her eyes tiredly, taking a small step back.

"I'll help", he said, taking the books from her.

He deliberately brushed his fingers against hers. She caught him by the arm as he made to step back again.

"Honestly, Teddy, just go to dinner. I'll be fine. I'll meet you later".

All he could concentrate on was her hand on his bicep. Instinctively, he flexed, relishing the feeling of her fingers tightening on him. Victoire used to love running her hands up and down his arms and he secretly hoped they'd get to the point where it'd be Jenna doing it.

"I don't mind helping out, darling", he said with a smile. "Especially if it means you won't miss dinner".

She smiled up at him.

"Why are you so adamant that I don't miss dinner?" she asked, moving around him to get to the other tables.

"Just making sure you get the necessary nutrition", he shrugged, moving quickly to gather as many books as he could. "Wouldn't want you passing out from lack of food".

She merely rolled her eyes, lifting books up in the air and releasing them to find their place on the shelves. She worked methodically, letting him gather the books and then she danced around the aisles, making sure they flew in the right shelf. She moved with the ease of someone that knew the room well. Her hips swayed as she walked. He caught himself staring more often than not.

He had the nagging feeling that despite her playful ways with him, she wasn't all that experienced with guys. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off by acting like any other hormone-driven teenage boy. He wanted to be gentle with her. Slowly work up to it. Despite her driving him mad with want. She just seemed so… innocent.

"Right", she huffed her hair out of her face as she released the last of the books. "I think that's about it for the day. Let's head out".

With a wave of her wand at the door, all the lights went out in the library and the door locked behind them with a loud 'clank'. Still smiling, she linked her arm through his and led him down the corridor to the Great Hall, chatting animatedly all the way about this and that.

If Teddy had been paying attention to his surroundings, he would've seen them coming. But he was too focused on his companion that he completely missed Victoire and her group of friends walking towards them.

In truth, the sight of the redhead laughing and joking with Teddy made the blonde green with jealousy. Her eyes narrowed on the pair and her lips pursed in distaste. Who did that little mouse think she was? What did Teddy even see in her?

"Well, well, girls, if it isn't the little library tart", she said loudly, stepping in front of Jenna.

The girls surrounding her laughed as if she had said the most intelligent and amusing thing in the world. Jenna's cheeks flushed slightly, her smile vanishing quickly.

"Answer me this, is Cinderella _really_ a princess when she changes clothes? Or does she remain a pathetic little _servant girl_?" she sneered.

"Cut it out, Victoire", Teddy sounded strained even to his own ears.

"Always needing the prince to come to her rescue", the blonde continued, never taking her eyes off the redhead.

"Oh, no, not really. But, you know, he's kinda handy to keep around", Jenna grinned bravely back at Victoire. "Where's yours? Oh, wait…".

"Did you grow some claws after last year, little mouse?" Victoire sneered. "Want to see who's got the biggest?"

"ENOUGH!" Teddy finally put himself between the two. "It's me you're angry at, Victoire. Cut this shit out. I _will_ take points off Gryffindor if I have to".

"You need to _justify_ taking off points, Lupin", she snarled up at him. "I was merely having a _chat_ with Mrs. Head Girl over here".

"Teddy, leave it alone", Jenna's hand wrapped around his elbow. "I'm no stranger to Victoire's _chats_. It's fine, really. Let's just get to dinner".

"Already got you wrapped around her little finger, huh?" Victoire taunted. "What is it about her? Is it that damsel in distress look? You've always had a knack for playing hero, Teddy. Is it because you feel you have to live up to your parents' name? Quite a pathetic attempt, if you ask-".

" _Twenty points_ off Gryffindor, Weasley", Jenna snarled, cutting her off. "And you can tell your Head of House to come ask _me_ why those points are taken off. And, trust me when I say that I will give them a _very_ detailed account of what exactly went down, as well as a letter sent to your parents".

The redhead turned around and, without even looking to see if Teddy was following, stormed down the corridor. He jogged up to her, taking her smaller hand in his. He drew her in an alcove to get them some privacy; more students would be coming out of the Great Hall soon. When he was sure they were completely out of sight, he drew back slightly. Jenna looked visibly upset.

"I'm pretty sure I've never had someone defend me like that", he said with a small smile. "You really are something Jenna Blake".

"You're not upset?" she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"I'm not going to lie. What she said struck a nerve. But I'm not upset with _you_ , silly girl", he chuckled. "Thank you. You didn't have to, but thank you".

Silently, she wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him tightly. She fit so easily against him. He secretly relished at the feeling of having her so close.

"She shouldn't have brought your parents into this", she murmured. "I know they're a sore spot still and after this summer… how _could_ she?!"

"That's just how she is, Jenna. Her family is great, really, but Victoire tends to get like that, especially when she's angry at someone" he shook his head. "She doesn't really think. Her aim was to hurt me and she did".

Jenna simply hugged him harder. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head. Her hair smelled of strawberry shampoo. It was comforting. He didn't know how long they stayed there like that. By the time they pulled apart, people were streaming out of the Great Hall.

"Do you still feel like going to the Great Hall?" she asked in a small voice. "The only thing that'll be left will be dessert and I don't feel like pudding to be honest".

"We can always sneak in the kitchens", slowly, he reached between them and entwined their fingers, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to.

Mutely, she nodded. They made their way through the throngs of students without another word, following the other Hufflepuffs down the staircase leading to the common room. They stopped by the portrait and waited until the corridor was empty. She reached up and tickled the pear. The giggling fruit quickly morphed into a knob and they entered the kitchens slightly.

"Is there anything left over from dinner?"

It was the only thing Jenna had to say to the gathered houselves. Before they knew it, they were being ushered forward to the table and presented with platters of food. She smiled and thanked them politely before getting a plate and filling it. He copied her movements, watching her closely. Her cheeks were stained with silvery tear streaks. She looked paler than she did before.

"What did Victoire mean when she said you grew claws after last year?" he asked after she'd started eating.

She swallowed audibly.

"It's nothing. Just a spat between girls, that's all", her shoulders rose in a shrug. "Victoire was never my number one fan. And I wasn't hers. We butted heads a lot. Still do apparently".

"Was she bullying you? I mean, I know she has a mean streak miles long, so I wouldn't put it past her".

"Not exactly", she picked up a ravioli with her fork. "It's just that Victoire was one of those popular, beautiful girls and I was one of the nerdy, not-that-attractive mousy girls. It was inevitable".

"That's stupid".

"Well", she shrugged again. "Last year was the final straw though. She found out I had a crush and she teased me restlessly about it, constantly reminding me that I don't stand a chance with the guy. It got a little bad for me".

"Who?" his head snapped up.

"Who what?"

"Who was the guy?" he set his fork down, focusing all his attention to her. "Because, let's be clear, he is an idiot if he didn't give you a chance".

"I never sort of gave him the chance to give me a chance", she murmured, looking down at her plate. "I was in a bad place last year and all the taunts about my appearance never helped my confidence levels. So, of course, I never approached the guy. This summer I just decided to grow a backbone, give myself the changes I wanted and just… you know".

"You still didn't answer my question"

"You don't know him. His name is Robbie. He was in Ravenclaw. Graduated last year", she shook her head.

Robbie. Teddy swelled with jealousy. It was an unpleasant feeling, sort of like an acid taste in his mouth. He raked his mind, trying to remember if he knew any Robbie from Ravenclaw but he came up with a blank.

"He was a little bit like me. Nerdy. Didn't care for the popular crowd. He used to hang out a lot in the library", Jenna went on. "I should've seen that he wasn't interested to girls, but all I could focus on was that he was one of the few that were nice to me and always remembered to put his books back so I wouldn't have to do the extra work. He was a good guy".

"So that explains it".

"Explains what?" she turned her eyes to him, frowning slightly.

"Why he wasn't interested. I can't figure out why any straight bloke wouldn't want to give you a chance", he smiled and started eating again, feeling significantly better.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, are you and Jenna like a thing now?" Robbie asked one morning. "Because I'm telling you, if you are and you don't have her help me with Katie, our friendship is over, man".

Robbie was looking at him expectantly, bright green eyes alight with a hint of a smile.

"Mate, I don't think Katie would go for you", was Teddy's cheerful response as he took his seat next to his friend.

That wasn't to say that Robbie wasn't a good person, Teddy thought. It's just that Jenna's best friend was quite a temperamental little thing – a great Quidditch player, and could often be described as 'one of the boys' had it not been for the fact that she was beautiful in the very traditional sense of the word.

Robbie had revealed his crush on her in September. Right about the same time he started pestering Teddy about Jenna.

"That doesn't answer my question".

Teddy merely kept his smile on and shook his head. As if sensing that they were talking about her, the lady in question raised her head from her plate a few feet down the table and winked at him. Katie, the blonde sitting right next to him turned to their direction as well. She whispered something to Jenna and they dissolved into giggles in the way teenage girls do when they share a secret. He wanted in on that secret. He couldn't help his grin when he caught Jenna glancing back at him.

On the weekends, she preferred to join in with the other students and wear her muggle clothes. Her jeans had rips on them. And the way they clung to her shapely legs wasn't bad either. He just wished she didn't favour those oversized sweaters that much, although he supposed they did protect her from the cold November weather.

"Man, when I know something more than you do, I'll tell you", was Teddy's only reply as he watched them get up and leave the Great Hall. "For now, what we have is enough".

"So, you've not shagged her yet?" the other boy said in a hushed voice, too aware of the other students around them. "You look at her like a she's the only woman on the planet, mate. And if I didn't know better, I'd say you two were a couple with the way you act around each other".

"I don't know, man", Teddy shrugged.

"All I'm saying is that _I_ might know better. But others", he turned towards the Gryffindor table. "Others don't. And it's bringing a lot of heat down towards your girl".

"She's not my girl", Teddy's eyes followed Robbie's glance and found Victoire. _Yet_ , he added mentally.

The other girl was staring after Jenna as well. She had probably caught their exchange as well. There was something alarmingly cold in the blonde girl's eyes. He was no stranger to that expression in the past few weeks, but seeing it directed at Jenna made him think that they might be in for more trouble than they originally thought. Clearly Victoire hadn't let things go since their confrontation in the hallway a while ago. Knowing her, it would take her a while to adjust. She was too spoiled to know when to stop and she could be relentless when she was after something.

Or someone.

He still remembered how things had gotten down when she decided she wanted to be with him. In the beginning he had attempted to keep her at a distance out of respect for Bill and Fleur. But she wouldn't relent. Of course, she was a beautiful girl. Anyone could see that. With her soft and feminine ways and the charm she inherited from her mother, he would've been blind not to see how stunning she is. To be fair, he was also a little bit flattered that she was after him so passionately. And when Bill gave the okay he couldn't think of a reason why he wouldn't be with her. Until last summer, he was willing to overlook certain things about her but not anymore.

And especially not with Jenna in his life now.

Maybe he should go after the redhead. Robbie was right. They were so comfortable with each other; their intimacy could be mistaken as something more than just friendship. And there were instances when Teddy honestly thought there was more, especially when she sneaked in behind him to wrap her arms around his waist in the mornings while he was making his tea. Or when she cuddled next to him on the couch in the evening after she was done with her homework. He could very easily chalk it off as her being a naturally affectionate person. But there was something in her eyes when she looked at him that made him want to lean down and kiss her.

Maybe he was a little too infatuated with her. And he tortured himself daily by being around her more often than he should. The urge was hard to resist sometimes.

But he was speaking the truth when he told Robbie he didn't know what was going on between them. They hadn't talked about it, even though they had been the subject of the school gossip those first few weeks. There were too many witnesses to the few incidents with Victoire – people naturally assumed Jenna had come between them, even though it was far from the truth. God knows he wanted to be with Jenna. But he just didn't know what Jenna wanted.

Finishing his breakfast quickly, he got up and followed Robbie out to the Quidditch pitch for their morning practice. Katie, already a member of the team ever since the October tryouts was just coming out to the field with her Firebolt on her shoulder. Robbie threw a flirty wink her way that only made her roll her eyes. But she _was_ smiling when Robbie turned to go in and change.

"Hey, Katie, get started on the laps, alright?" Teddy called after her.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" she called over her shoulder. "Oh, and Jenna's at the bleachers. Try not to show off too much".

A laugh made its way out of his lips. He changed into his uniform quickly as the rest of the team filtered in. Mounting his broomstick, he flew up before looking down to the bleachers where he could make out Jenna's red hair. She lifted her hand and waved enthusiastically.

"Dude, I do not know why you two are not already hooking up", he looked up to see Katie hovering in the air across from him. "It's so obvious that you two are into each other".

"Have you been talking to Robbie lately, Katie?" he grinned at her. "I think you two would make an adorable couple. You already agree at everything".

"Ha, ha, Lupin. You're so hilarious", she rolled her eyes. "He needs to man up and ask me out, first. Same thing you need to do with Jay".

"Laps, Harrison", he said with a laugh. "I'll race you".

With a laugh, she started up ahead of him. He _may_ have been showing off a little bit when he sped past her quickly. Truth was, he couldn't get Katie's words out of his head. Did Jenna want him to ask her out? Was she expecting that from him? Should he?

"That was a good practice mate", Robbie was saying about two and a half later when they finally returned to the ground.

"Yeah, we're definitely going to do good at the game next week", he said.

"Heads up. Your girl is heading your way", Katie nudged him on her way towards the shower. "Be a man, Lupin".

"And how would you know what a man is like, Harrison?" Robbie called after her.

The rest of their banter was lost to Teddy as the door closed behind his friend. Jenna jogged up to him with her black backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Well, looks like the team's all ready to beat Gryffindor!" she said excitedly, coming to a stop right in front of him.

"Yeah, we definitely will. Did you not see how well we did?" he grinned back at her.

"Are you guys coming down to Hogsmeade later on?" she asked, tugging her sweater over her hands. "Me and Katie are going to the Three Broomsticks for a bit after our shopping spree".

"We could meet you there".

He reached and gripped her wrist lightly. Slowly he tugged the sleeve up until her pale hand was exposed. Slowly, giving her enough time to pull away if she wanted to, he entwined their fingers and gave a light squeeze. Katie's words were still going through his head.

"It's a date then", she murmured, looking up at him through her lashes.

"No, it would've been a date if it could be just us", he said, tugging her a little bit closer.

Her eyes widened a little bit. When he was this close, he could see that one iris had more green in it than hazel. Just slightly.

"I was wondering if you'd like to make that happen sometime", by now he could feel her breath on his collarbone. "Because I'd definitely like that".

"Are you asking me out, Teddy?" she smiled up at him.

"Yes, I am", he grinned right back.

He lifted his hand and smoothed a stray strand of hair out of her forehead. His fingers trailed down the side of her face lightly until he could cup her neck. All he had to do was lean down a bit further. Her head was tilted backwards and she was looking up at him with those beautiful big hazel eyes and it wouldn't really hurt if he just…

"Hey man-oh shit! Sorry".

Robbie's voice came a little too soon. Jenna jerked back, startled. Teddy found himself growling in frustration.

"Oh, well, um…", Jenna started.

He tugged her forward by the wrist and brought their lips together, kissing her before she had a chance to say anything. He might have been a little too rough with her, but by the way her hand came up to tangle with his hair he thought she didn't mind. He pulled her closer by the waist and deepened the kiss. She bit down at his lower lip. He turned them around and pushed her against the wall next to the door. When they finally broke apart, he found himself feeling extremely smug at her breathless state. Her forehead touched his chest as she tried to regain her breath.

"Jesus Christ", she murmured.

"Is that a yes to the date?" he teased, looking down at her.

"Yeah, definitely", she smiled up at him. "Although we might be doing this a bit backwards".

"Well, if we go according to the entire school, we've been dating for a while now, so that was long overdue", he laughed. "I wanted to do that for a while now, if I want to be honest with myself".

"I wanted you to do that for a while now, if I want to be honest with myself", she giggled.

"Are you guys done making out yet?" Katie's head popped out the door. "Oh, you are".

She came out and stood next to them with a smile. Slowly, Jenna extracted herself from Teddy's arms. He thought he might've looked like the cat that got the canary a little too much.

"We'll meet you down at the Three Broomsticks later", Teddy said, taking her hand again. "We'll be down as soon as we get showered and changed".

"We're up for a bit of girl time anyway so we'll head down now", she smiled. "I'll see you later".

He leaned down and pecked her lips lightly. Her grin widened to match his. He watched them go for a bit before he went inside.

"You smug bastard! Wipe that smirk off your face", Robbie said teasingly.

Still laughing, Teddy went to shower and change. He got dressed in his jeans and sweater, shrugging on his old leather jacket.

"Now you _have_ to hook me up with Katie", Robbie said as they made their way down to Hogsmeade.

"Man up", Teddy dodged the punch aimed at him.


	5. Chapter 5

Nothing had ever given Teddy this deep sense of fulfillment, he thought as Robbie pushed open the door to the Three Broomsticks. The noise of the crowd was bordering on unbearable, but no one could begrudge the Hogwarts students their chance to relax outside the school walls. He shrugged his leather jacket off as they pushed through the throngs of people, only half-listening to Robbie's excited chatter about the next Quidditch game.

It was ridiculous how easy he could find her in the crowd. And just knowing that now he didn't have to hold back was the most exhilarating feeling in the world. So, he marched up to where she was standing with Katie by the bar and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, letting his head fall comfortably in the crook of her neck.

"Hey", she turned her head and landed a kiss on his cheek.

"Hey gorgeous", he murmured right by her ear.

"Look at those two", Katie teased, beaming at them. "Not even a few hours since they decided to start dating and they can't keep their hands off each other".

"Shut up", Jenna started giggling as he put his lips on her neck, laying feather-light kisses.

They accepted their friends' well-meaning teasing and when the rest of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team joined them there was more of it. But they didn't really mind. Jokes about them being in their own private bubble all afternoon were made, especially after Teddy settled down on a chair with Jenna on his lap. All Teddy knew was that he couldn't wipe that shit-eating grin off his face.

Jenna seemed to glow with happiness and that was enough for him. Her smile was blinding as she talked and laughed with everyone around her. She was warm and soft against him. Every now and then her hands would trace patterns on his exposed forearms.

When they left, he made sure to entwine their fingers tightly. There was nothing better in the world than the look in her eyes when she looked up at him. Her eyes were wide and light and her grin was genuine. With her cream sweater and skinny black jeans, she looked more beautiful than ever. She walked in long, determined strides, matching his pace, with her shoulders squared and her head held high in a way that made her neck look long and elegant. And that slight sway of her hips wasn't helping the situation, either.

They were nearing Hogwarts when she and Katie started to fall back. Because he refused to let go of her hand, he fell back with her. And then her hand disappeared in her pocket and produced a small blue packet. She looked up at him, suddenly unsure. Her fingers loosened on his, giving him the option of pulling away if he wanted. He didn't let go. If she wanted to smoke, he would stay there with her. Her smile was small but relieved as she looked up at him.

Robbie fell back with them as well, sticking by Katie's side. The girls pulled out their cigarettes and lit them up. The smell was slightly bitter. Jenna tilted her head back and let out the smoke upwards, making sure not to get it on Teddy. She leaned against a nearby tree, still holding his hand. One leg bent and against the tree, the other stretched out slightly.

"I don't mind, you know", he murmured to her as soon as Robbie and Katie started up their banter.

"I know, it's just… it's a bad habit, I know. But it takes off the edge, if anything", she shrugged her shoulders, looking off to the side. "Most people here don't do it; they think it's disgusting".

"I hope I'm not 'most people' to you", he closed in on her side, nuzzling her cheek.

"You know you're not", she giggled as he moved to the space just under her ear.

The smell of tobacco clung to her skin, mixing with her perfume. It was an interesting combination. Never in a million years would he think that he was one of those people that found the smell of cigarettes such a turn on. Maybe it was the way it put an edge to everything, something dangerous and exhilarating. Finally, he settled with an arm around her shoulders, tucking her to his side. He couldn't stop looking at her.

"Stop looking at me like that", she whispered to him, barely turning her head.

"Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?" he teased lightly right by her ear, letting Robbie and Katie's bickering shield their conversation.

Vanishing her cigarette butt with her wand, she finally turned to him. She looked determined. He straightened up, trying to anticipate what she'd do. She fisted her hand in the material of his sweater and pulled him closer, sealing her mouth over his. He was quite taken aback by her brazen response. But it didn't take him long to snap out of his shock. His hands gripped her hips tightly as he took control over the kiss. He wanted nothing more than to push her back against the tree, but he held back for the sake of their friends.

"Time to head in, eh guys?" was Robbie's humorous quip before he turned to walk away with Katie.

Jenna let out a breathless laugh. Her lips were swollen and red and it made him want to kiss her again. Instead, he took her hand and pulled her along, parting with the other two in front of the Great Hall. And suddenly they couldn't be alone fast enough. They took the stairs two at a time, thankful that most of the students were still in Hogsmeade and there was no one around.

"Phoenix feathers", she said impatiently to the portrait.

He pushed her up against it as soon as it closed behind them. She made a small sound at the back of her neck when her back hit the hard surface of the door. Teddy was spurred on by the fact that they were alone and he didn't have to hold back anymore. He let his hands roam, lifting her up by her bum and wrapping her long legs around his waist. It brought their faces to the same height and made it easier to kiss. Her tongue darted out to meet his and he tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

His head was spinning. He wanted to be both forceful and gentle at the same time. The taste of her was heady, addictive. It made his thoughts turn to a jumbled mess. He didn't have to hold it all back now, there was no reason to hide that he wanted her.

They broke apart for a few moments, to let her catch her breath. She was panting hard. He buried his face in her neck, feathering kisses against her skin. He sunk his teeth in the spot where her pulse beat, sucking on it, his instincts telling him to _mark her_. The gasp she let out was like music to his ears. It turned into a broken moan when he pushed against her harder.

"Teddy…", her voice was a hoarse whisper, dragging out his name.

"You have no _idea_ how much I wanted to do this", she pulled his face back to hers, kissing him again.

Making sure he had a good grip on her he walked back with her hanging off him until the back of his knees hit the couch. She unwrapped her legs from his waist as he sat down. He settled her on his lap, with his mouth still latched on hers.

"Oh god", she whispered when he started up on her neck again. "We are _so_ doing this dating thing backwards".

She turned around and straddled him, tangling her fingers in his hair. He merely pulled her closer, grinding her down on him. She moaned against his mouth. He swallowed the sound, holding her close to him by the back of her neck. He kept her moving against him, taking note of the sounds she made, the way she clutched at him. He sneaked a hand under her sweater, feeling the smooth expanse of her back under his palm. It surprised the hell out of him when she pulled away to tug it off. And he had to take a moment to take her in.

She tried to resume kissing him, but he merely gripped her wrists and held them behind her back. She looked back at him, making a low whining sound at the back of her throat that he couldn't help but smile to. And then he took one slow look from the top of her head, down to her flushed chest, her purple bra and the smooth paleness of her stomach. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth at the crook of her neck, brushing her chest against his. She squirmed in his lap, moving even closer to him so that she was pressed up against him.

"You'll need to stop me because I won't be able to", he whispered against her throat. "Tell me to stop, Jenna".

"I-I don't want you to", she panted. "What are you doing to me, Teddy Lupin?"

He lifted his hips against her, letting her feel him. She let out a gasp, pushing against him.

" _God_ , Jenna, this is not how I wanted things to go", his fingers tightened against her wrists. "I wanted to do this the right way, but Merlin knows how much I want you right now".

He released her hands only to pull her against him once more and kiss her. His fingers toyed with the clasp of her bra, not sure if she would want him to. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders, running her hands against his arms as she searched for more contact. He pulled it off for her, tugging his own sweater over his head. She ran her hands down his torso as he resumed kissing her, her palm splaying out on his ribs, fingers trailing down his stomach and then smoothing up his arms. Her nails dug in his shoulders when he ground up at her again. She let her head fall in the crook of his neck, panting against his skin.

That's when Teddy sneaked a hand between them to open up the button of her jeans. He waited for her to tell him to stop. She merely pressed her lips to his neck and pushed closer to him. He pulled the zipper down slowly, waiting for her to tell him no. She ran her hand down his back, nibbling on his earlobe. And when he pushed his hand in her jeans, she gasped and pushed her hips down on his palm.

"Christ".

He knew he was done for when she started shaking as her climax hit. Her teeth sank on his shoulder and he just held her close. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against her, breathing her in for a few moments while she tried to get her breath back. He pulled his jacket over her, wrapping it around her shoulders. He helped her get her arms through the sleeves.

She pulled back and looked at him. She looked _stunning_. Flushed cheeks, eyes still smudged with black, lips swollen. In his fucking jacket teasing him with the pale expanse of skin visible from her neck down to where her jeans were still open, her black panties showing. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her lips, slow and gentle.

"Do you want me to…?" she looked at him with eyes unsure.

He shook his head and smiled. Her cheeks flushed anew. She looked so innocent just then. She pulled his jacket tighter around her. The sleeves were a tad bit too long for her.

"You're so beautiful", he said, moving a strand of hair from her forehead. "I never get tired of looking at you".

"I can say the same thing", she said with a shy smile. "I love your eyes the most. They're so… expressive".

"I love your eyes too. And your nose", he planted a small kiss right on the tip of it. "The way your cheeks blush. Your lips. The taste of you".

She leaned closer and kissed him again, softly. He held her there by the back of her head, taking his time. He let her pull away. And looking at her, he got that content feeling all over again, like things were finally going alright. His fingers were tracing patterns on her thighs while hers rested on his shoulders. It felt _easy_. Simple.

"I should get out of these jeans. Get comfortable", she said quietly. "Are you up to… chill for a bit?"

"You know it" he smiled.

He couldn't resist giving her bum a small slap when she stood up. She squeaked and turn to give him a glare. He just smiled like a goof.


End file.
